Welcome to Poena

Around the House

The Wall of Friendship

The Flavours and the Fragrances

Nothing beats the fragrance of freshly baked bread from the woodfired oven

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Inside

As you can see there is a whole lot of living going on at Poena

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Details

the truth of the story lies in the details

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Hestia

Next to the oven, in a little wall niche, is a simple image of Hestia

Lies's Studio

Behind the blue door you will find the original dung and clay floor. Lies likes to feel mother earth beneath her feet. Her paintings hang in Spain, Holland, England and U.S.A. as well as in South Africa.

Poena

Welcome to Poena

Home of Hester & Lies

“Poenankies” is an Afrikaans colloquial word which refers to a lovable or endearing person
or object. We felt that the house is not merely “poenankies”, but “poena”.

The house
was designed by Bruno de Robillard, also known as McGregor’s Barefoot
Architect. When we asked him to design for us he gave us an assignment. “Write me a page or two about a day in your
lives. How would you like to spend time in your house from dawn to bedtime?”
Awie Page and his team started building in January 2002 and it was completed in
April 2002.

The design of a modest rustic house is based on the traditional McGregor cottage: it sits
low on the ground and units or outhouses are added on as needed.

The Wall of Friendship

Gathering the stones

This stone clad wall between the stoep and the bathroom is known as the friend’s
wall. These shale slabs can be found in
the koppies surrounding the village. Bruno suggested that we form a work party of
friends to help us gather and bring the stones to the building site. It was
easy enough to choose and carry the stones to the bakkie, but it was more
difficult to please Buno’s discerning eye. He vetted each contribution, and he
was very particular. “No. This one is not flat enough. Out!”

* * *

The Flavours and the Fragrances

Nothing beats the fragrance of freshly baked bread from the woodfired oven

Nothing beats the fragrance of freshly baked bread from the woodfired oven. The oven
was designed by Niel Jonker, friend and fellow artisan baker www.nieljonker.co.za The oven design is based on similar ovens built over three hundred
years ago by the first French immigrants in Quebec. Hester’s Book of Bread can be bought from major bookstores or on amazon for the full
story of our baking adventures.

* * *

Details

the truth of the story lies in the details

The outdoor shower and the little fountain are decorated with shards of crockery and tiles
made by the owners.

Bruno’s
picture windows frame the ever changing views perfectly.

The
bathroom window features the seven chakras and is based on a design by Lies.

The shed
has a red door. When you come closer the graffiti shows you that it once
belonged to Freek.

* * *

Hestia

Next to the oven, in a little wall niche, is a simple image of Hestia

Next to the oven, in a little wall niche, is a simple image of Hestia – two stones, one lightly balanced on the other.
The bottom stone is dark and the top one has a blue shine.

The bread oven is named after Hestia, the
Greek goddess of the hearth. Hestia is not as well known as Astarte and Isis.
Her presence was simply indicated with a circle of hearth stones around the
fire place.

Hestia was the daughter of Crones and Rhea
and the sister of Zeus and Hera. As goddess of the hearth she never deserted
the home of the gods and she never got drawn into endless wars and dramas of
her fellow gods. In every citadel or humble home Hestia provided a safe refuge
to all who fled violence. She is known as the first founder of a true home.